**Crop Insurance Planting Deadlines You Need to Know**
One of the best ways for a farmer to ensure a good harvest is to get their crop planted at the right time and into good conditions. Unfortunately, bad weather and unpredictable circumstances may prevent growers from planting as early as they would like. . At Foothills Insurance, we encourage farmers across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee to understand their crop’s final planting dates and late planting periods. Knowing these dates and their effect on coverage can help growers understand their risk and make informed management decisions as the season progresses.

When crops are planted during the late planting period, coverage is reduced by 1% per day. Acres planted after the end of the late planting period have their coverage reduced by 40-50% depending on the crop. However, farmers also have the option to not insure those very late planted acres.

Despite coverage being reduced after the final planting date, the premium remains the same as timely planted acres. Additionally, if a farmer chooses to waive coverage on acres planted after the end of the late planting period, those acres will not be covered under any attached supplemental policies like Hurricane Insurance Protection -Wind Index (HIP-WI), Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO), and the Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO).

Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the approved planting dates for corn, soybeans, cotton, and grain sorghum based on state and county-specific guidelines.

Corn Planting Deadlines

Corn growers should pay close attention to their specific planting windows, especially in regions where deadlines vary by county.

North Carolina (NC): The final planting date for corn is May 20. If you miss this date, you still have 25 late planting days, during which your insurance coverage will decrease by 1% for each day planting is delayed.
South Carolina (SC) – Most Counties: The deadline is slightly earlier at May 15, with the same 25-day late planting period.
South Carolina – Chesterfield, Lee, and Marlboro Counties: These counties have an earlier final planting date of April 30, also with 25 late planting days.

Planting corn after the end of the late planting period reduced coverage to 55% of a growers full guarantee. Farmers also have the option to not insure these very late planted acres.

Soybean Planting Deadlines

Soybeans are a versatile crop grown across much of the Southeast, and each state has slightly different insurance deadlines. Final planting dates and late planting periods are particularly important to understand for farmers who double crop some soybeans behind wheat.

North Carolina (NC): The final planting date is June 30, with a 25-day late planting period.
South Carolina (SC): The final planting date isJune 25, with a 15 day late planting period.
Virginia (VA): The final date is June 20, with a 25-day late planting window.
Tennessee (TN): Soybeans must be planted by June 15, with a 20-day late planting window.

Keeping track of these regional deadlines can help soybean farmers make management replanting decisions. Planting soybeans after the end of the late planting period reduced coverage to 60% of a growers full guarantee. Farmers also have the option to not insure these very late planted acres.

Cotton Planting Deadlines

Cotton farmers in North Carolina have a narrow planting window for insurance purposes.

North Carolina (NC): The final planting date is May 25, with only 5 late planting days available.

Planting cotton May 30 reduces coverage to 50% of the full guarantee. Farmers may also choose to not insure acres planted after the end of the late planting period.

Grain Sorghum Planting Deadlines

Grain sorghum, an increasingly popular crop in North Carolina due to deer pressure, also has a firm planting deadline.

North Carolina (NC): The final date is June 25, with a 15-day late planting period. After the end of the late planting period coverage is reduced to 60% of a growers full guarantee. Insurance may be waived for acres planted after July 10.

Grain sorghum can tolerate heat and drought better than some other crops, but insurance companies still require planting within specific timeframes to ensure predictable yield and risk levels.

Why These Dates Matter for Your Coverage

Each day you plant beyond the final plant date and during the late planting period, your crop insurance guarantee drops by 1%. Since the reduction is only to the late planted acres, planting a few days after the final plant date doesn’t usually have a drastic effect on your coverage. However, these reductions accumulate quickly if you have large amounts of late planted acreage. Anything planted after the late planting period is severely reduced.

Growers always have the option to waive coverage on anything planted after the end of the late planting period. However, we typically encourage growers to still insure these acres. Even though it means paying full premium for reduced coverage, it still provides significant risk protection and keeps any attached policies like HIP-WI, ECO, and SCO in force for all acreage.

Understanding your region’s approved planting dates can be the difference between full indemnity protection and a financial shortfall in the event of weather, pests, or poor yields. That’s why Foothills Insurance is committed to keeping you informed with the most current data approved by the Risk Management Agency (RMA).

Need Help Navigating Your Planting Schedule?

Don’t leave your coverage up to chance. At Foothills Insurance, our crop insurance experts are here to help you:

Confirm planting deadlines by county
Understand late planting coverage reductions
Review your current policy
Get assistance with acreage reporting and documentation